Download - Drought Management Task Force - Mass.gov
Current Hydrologic Conditions in Massachusetts
Drought Management Task Force
Jonathan Yeo and Anne Carroll
DCR Office of Water Resources
Division of Water Supply Protection
October 5, 2016
MA Drought Management Plan
Summary / Review
www.mass.gov/eea/wrc-dmtf
Massachusetts Drought Regions
Drought Regions
Western
Connecticut Valley
Central
Northeast
Southeast
Cape and Islands
Massachusetts Drought Indicators and Levels
Drought Indicator Indicator Type
Standardized Precipitation Index Precipitation
Precipitation Percent Below Normal Precipitation
Streamflow Months Below Normal Streamflow
Groundwater Level Months Below Normal Groundwater
Size of Reservoir (S, M, L) Below Normal Reservoirs
Crop Moisture Index Crop Moisture
Keetch-Byram Drought Index Fire Danger
Drought Levels:
Normal
Advisory
Watch
Warning
Emergency
Drought declaration based on majority of indices
Precipitation Data Sources
Monthly Precipitation Composite Estimate, September 2016
Notes: Values are estimated pending receipt of additional data and final calculations. Precipitation values are total rainfall and melted
snow in inches.
September-16 Percent Excess/
--------------------------------------------Excess or Deficit Since Last-------------------------------------------
-----
Normal Actual Normal Deficit 10/1/2015 2 Months % Norm 3 Months % Norm 6 Months % Norm 12 Months % Norm
State 3.78 2.42 64 -1.36 -7.99 -2.52 67 -4.12 64 -6.43 71 -7.99 82
Cape Cod and
Islands 3.81 3.00 79 -0.81 -2.22 -3.99 49 -4.73 56 -7.38 66 -2.22 95
Central 3.80 2.67 70 -1.13 -10.31 -1.25 84 -3.03 74 -7.03 69 -10.31 78
Connecticut River 3.94 2.92 74 -1.02 -9.40 -1.50 82 -3.27 74 -7.79 67 -9.40 79
Northeast 3.48 1.77 51 -1.71 -12.84 -3.13 56 -5.23 50 -9.16 56 -12.84 70
Southeast 3.74 1.90 51 -1.84 -8.81 -3.91 49 -5.57 49 -7.67 65 -8.43 82
Western 4.08 2.69 66 -1.39 -4.40 -1.65 80 -2.10 83 -4.07 83 -4.40 90
Precipitation
Region
SEPTEMBER
Estimated Rainfall: Composite Sites
Reporting (inches)
Departure from
Normal (inches)
MA Drought Management Plan Levels
Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI)
Percent of Normal Index
Cape Cod & Islands 3.00 -0.81 Advisory Watch
Central 2.67 -1.13 Watch Watch
Connecticut River 2.92 -1.02 Watch Watch
Northeast 1.77 -1.71 Warning Emergency
Southeast 1.9 -1.84 Watch Warning
Western 2.69 -1.39 Normal Normal
Reservoir Index
Drought Level Reservoir Index*
Normal Reservoir levels at or near normal for the time of year
Advisory Small index reservoirs below normal
Watch Medium index reservoirs below normal
Warning Large index reservoirs below normal
Emergency Continuation of previous month’s conditions
*Water suppliers should be consulted to determine if below
normal reservoir conditions are due to operational issues
Reservoirs
General Reservoir Levels in Massachusetts at the end of September 2016
Region
Number of Reservoirs Monitored
Reservoir Levels (majority)
MA Drought Management Plan
Reservoir Index
Cape Cod & Islands
1 Normal Normal
Central 3 Below Normal Watch*
Connecticut River
2 Normal Normal
Northeast 6 Below Normal Watch*
Southeast 3 Below Normal Watch
Western 2 Normal Normal
*At least 1 reservoir at 2 standard deviations below normal
Streamflow Index
Drought Level Streamflow Index
Normal 1 month below normal*
Advisory At least 2 out of 3 consecutive months below normal*
Watch At least 4 out of 5 consecutive months below normal*
Warning At least 6 out of 7 consecutive months below normal*
Emergency Greater than 7 months below normal*
*Below normal for streamflow is defined as being within the
lowest 25th percentile of the period of record
Streamflow
Monthly Streamflow Compared to Historical Streamflow for September
Stream Pictures
Third Herring Brook, 9/28/16 Ipswich River, 9/11/16
Stream Pictures
Mattapoisett River, 9/1/16
Mattapoisett River, 9/1/16
Streamflow
General Streamflow Conditions in Massachusetts
September 2016
Region
Number of stream gages
MA Drought Plan Index (# months majority
below 25th percentile)
Number of gages below 10th
percentile for Sept
Number of gages at Record Low
for Sept
Central 16 Warning (7 months) 8 3
Connecticut River
16 Warning (6 of 7 months) 12 3
Northeast 19 Warning (7 months) 13 6
Southeast 5 Warning (6 of 7 months) 4 2
Western 7 Watch (5 of 7 months) 4 1
Groundwater Index
Drought Level Groundwater Index
Normal 2 consecutive months below normal*
Advisory 3 consecutive months below normal*
Watch 4 to 5 consecutive months below normal*
Warning 6 to 7 consecutive months below normal*
Emergency Greater than 8 months below normal*
*Below normal for groundwater is defined as being within the
lowest 25th percentile of the period of record
Groundwater October 4, 2016 Real-Time Groundwater Conditions
Groundwater
General Groundwater Conditions in Massachusetts
September 2016
Region
Number of groundwater
wells
MA Drought Plan Index (# consecutive months
majority below 25th percentile)
Number of wells below 10th
percentile for Sept
Number of wells at Record Low
for Sept
Cape & Islands 13 1 1 0
Central 10 6 2 0
CT River 11 6 7 5
Northeast 17 6 14 5
Southeast 12 5 10 3
Western 5 7 4 1
Crop Moisture and Fire Danger Indices
* The Crop Moisture Index is subject to frequent change. The drought level for this indicator is
determined based on the repeated or extended occurrence at a given level.
Drought Level Crop Moisture Index* Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI)
Normal 0 to -1.0 Slightly dry
less than 200
Advisory -1 to -1.9 Abnormally dry
200 to 400
Watch -2 to -2.9 Excessively dry
400 to 600
Warning < -2.9 Severely dry
600 to 800
Emergency < -2.9 Severely dry
600 to 800
Crop Moisture
Region September
Index
Cape & Islands Advisory
Central Normal
CT Valley Normal
Northeast Advisory
Southeast Advisory
West Normal
Keetch-Byram Drought Index
* Nantucket is Normal
451
265
644
685
631
413
467
589
491
601
542
218
324 75
217 CACO
RAWS
377
498 Blue Hills
RAWS
527 Oxbo
w
RAW
S
Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) as of October 3, 2016
Region MA Drought Plan
Index
Cape Cod & Islands* Advisory
Central Warning
Connecticut River Watch
Northeast Watch
Southeast Watch
Western Watch
US Drought Monitor
October Precipitation
Avoid Watering During a Drought1
Limits on outdoor water use are critical to help ensure that enough water is available for essential needs, including drinking water and fire protection, crop irrigation, and our natural resources.
1. Certain water uses are not subject to mandatory restrictions, such as water used:
• for health or safety reasons;
• for the production of food and fiber;
• for the maintenance of livestock;
• to meet the core functions of a business (for example, irrigation by plant nurseries as necessary to maintain stock).
2. If your water supplier has stricter restrictions in place, abide by those.
Drought Level Recommended Water Use Restrictions for Everyone1,2
Advisory 1 day per week at the most, outside the hours of 9AM – 5PM
Watch hand-held only or drip irrigation outside the hours of 9AM – 5PM
Warning Outdoor water use should be banned
Summary of Drought Indices as of October 1, 2016
This summary is provided for informational purposes. No changes in drought status
are official until the Drought Management Task Force convenes and makes a
recommendation accepted by the Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and
Environmental Affairs.
Drought Regions
Drought Indicator2
Indicator
Type West CT River Central Northeast Southeast
Cape and
Islands Key to
Levels
Standardized Precipation Index (SPI) Precipitation Normal Watch Watch Warning Watch Advisory Normal
Precipitation % Below Normal Precipitation Normal Watch Watch Emergency Warning Watch Advisory
Months Below Normal Streamflow Warning Warning Warning Warning Warning N/A4 Watch
Months Below Normal Groundwater Warning Warning Warning Warning Watch Normal Warning
Size of reservoir below normal Reservoirs Normal Normal Watch Watch Watch Normal Emergency
Crop Moisture Index Crop Moisture Normal Normal Normal Advisory Advisory Advisory
Keetch-Byram Drought Index Fire Danger Watch Watch Warning Watch Watch Advisory
August to September Comparison
August September August September August September
Indicator Type West West
CT River CT River
Central Central
Precipitation (SPI) Normal Normal Watch Watch Advisory Watch
Precipitation (% below normal) Normal Normal Watch Watch Normal Watch
Streamflow Watch Warning Watch Warning Warning Warning
Groundwater Warning Warning Watch Warning Watch Warning
Reservoirs Normal Normal Normal Normal Watch Watch
Crop Moisture Advisory Normal Watch Normal Watch Normal
Fire Danger Watch Watch Watch Watch Watch Warning
August to September Comparison
August September August September August September
Indicator Type Northeast Northeast Southeast Southeast Cape and
Islands
Cape and
Islands
Precipitation (SPI) Watch Warning Watch Watch Watch Advisory
Precipitation (% below normal) Warning Emergency Watch Warning Watch Watch
Streamflow Warning Warning Watch Warning N/A4 N/A4
Groundwater Watch Warning Watch Watch Normal Normal
Reservoirs Watch Watch Watch Watch Normal Normal
Crop Moisture Warning Advisory Warning Advisory Warning Advisory
Fire Danger Warning Watch Warning Watch Watch Advisory